Donald Rumsfeld

Rumsfeld in 2011, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Donald Henry Rumsfeld

Date of Birth: July 9, 1932

Place of Birth: Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Date of Death: June 29, 2021

Place of Death: Taos, New Mexico, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – German
*mother – English, small amount of Irish, distant Dutch, remote Welsh

Donald Rumsfeld was an American politician, businessperson, and government official. A Republican, he was U.S. Secretary of Defense, from November 20, 1975 to January 20, 1977, and again, from January 20, 2001 to December 18, 2006. He was also a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois, from January 3, 1963 to March 20, 1969, Counselor to the President, from December 11, 1970 to October 15, 1971, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, from February 2, 1973 to September 21, 1974, and White House Chief of Staff, from September 21, 1974 to November 20, 1975, among other duties.

He was a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1988.

Donald was the son of Jeannette Kearsley (Husted) and George Donald Rumsfeld. His mother had deep roots in New Jersey. He was raised in Winnetka, Illinois. He was married to Joyce P. Pierson, until his death, with whom he had three children.

Donald’s paternal grandfather was John Heinrich “Henry” Rumsfeld (the son of Johann Heinrich Rumsfeld and Dorothea Maria Dohmeier). Donald’s grandfather John was born in Illinois. Johann was born in Weyhe, Leeste, Lower Saxony, Germany. Dorothea was born in New York, to German parents, Johann Otto Dohmeyer, from Hohnhorst, Hannover, and Engel Maria Sophia Schweer, from Nordbruch, Hessen-Nassau, Prussia.

Donald’s paternal grandmother was Lizette Julia Claussen (the daughter of George Henry Claussen and Eva Elizabeth Jaeckel). Lizette was born in Illinois. George was German. Eva was born in Illinois, the daughter of German parents, Heinrich Conrad Jacob Jaeckel and Elizabeth Weber.

Donald’s maternal grandfather was Henry Brooks “Harry” Husted (the son of Henry Rose Husted and Flora L. Hastings). Donald’s grandfather Henry was born in Illinois. Donald’s great-grandfather Henry was the son of David Husted, whose mother was born in Ireland, and of Rachel Brooks. Flora was the daughter of Carlisle Hastings and Hannah Granger.

Donald’s maternal grandmother was Helen Bryan Osgood (the daughter of Edwin Sewall Osgood and Elizabeth Ann Bryan). Helen was born in Pennsylvania. Edwin was born in Maulmein, Burma, the son of American missionary parents, from New York, The Rev. Sewall/Sewell Mason Osgood and Sarah Maria Willsey. Elizabeth was the daughter of Timothy Matlack Bryan and Elizabeth Hardcastle Covington, whose father was English.

Sources: Genealogies of Donald Rumsfeld – https://www.geni.com
http://www.wargs.com

Donald’s paternal grandmother, Lizette Julia Claussen, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Donald’s maternal grandmother, Helen Bryan Osgood, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org